Today is the Spring Equinox, the middle of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure: For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we … Continue reading The Practice of Higan
The Collected Teachings of the Tendai Lotus School by Gishin was translated from the Japanese by Paul L. Swanson and published in 1995 as part of the BDK English Tripiṭaka (97-II). From the Translator’s Introduction The Collected Teachings of the Tendai Lotus School (Tendai Hokkeshū Gishū) is an introduction to the doctrine and practice of … Continue reading The Collected Teachings of the Tendai Lotus School
QUESTION: If the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra not at the beginning but after four decades of preaching lest the people might slander the sūtra, why do you suddenly expound the Lotus Sūtra without preaching the provisional sūtras first, causing the people to slander the True Dharma and fall into the evil realms? ANSWER: While … Continue reading Guiding People with the Lotus Sūtra from the Beginning
This is another in a series of weekly blog posts comparing and contrasting the Sanskrit and Chinese Lotus Sutra translations. Chapter 13 in the Kumārajīva translation and Chapter 12 in H. Kern’s translation follow the story of Devadatta and the Dragon King’s Daughter. If you assume the chapter title foreshadows the content, then there is a distinction … Continue reading Encouragement
MYOICHI AMA GOZEN GOSHOSOKU Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra are like the winter season for many hardships come incessantly. Winter is surely followed by spring. We have never heard nor seen that winter returned to fall. We have never heard that the believers in the Lotus Sutra go back to ordinary men. The … Continue reading Attainment of Buddhahood
Every phrase, every character of the Lotus Sutra is contained in Myoho Renge Kyo. The five Chinese characters contain every stroke and every mark of all the 69,384 characters comprising the Lotus Sutra. All of the virtues of the entire 28 chapters of the text are all contained within the five characters of the title. … Continue reading The Contents of the Title
What is the meaning of chanting Odaimoku? Nowadays it is getting difficult for us to find the time and space to practice. Nichiren Shōnin left a cheerful practice for such people as us to approach Buddhahood, which as you know, was positively chanting the Odaimoku as many times as possible, and to believe in the … Continue reading Attaining Buddhahood in Daily Life Without Special Practices
The three delusions (delusions arising from incorrect views and thoughts, delusions which hinder knowledge of salvation methods, and delusions which hinder knowledge of the ultimate reality) that exist in the mind of all people as well as the karma of committing the ten evil acts, and the five rebellious sins are like the darkness of … Continue reading 800 Years: The Full Moon Brightening the Darkness of Night
MYOICHI AMA GOZEN GOSHOSOKU Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra are like the winter season for many hardships come incessantly. Winter is surely followed by spring. We have never heard nor seen that winter returned to fall. We have never heard that the believers in the Lotus Sutra go back to ordinary men. The … Continue reading 800 Years: Faith in Tomorrow
You have a grandson, Lord Jibu, who is a Buddhist priest. This priest is neither an upholder of precepts nor especially rich in wisdom. He neither observes even one of the 250 precepts nor maintains even one of the 3000 solemn rules of conduct. In wisdom he is like a horse or a cow while … Continue reading Daily Dharma – Oct. 2, 2022